The Greater Good
by Stag Hag
Summary: Albus lives in his father’s shadow, is the social outcast of Slytherin and has fallen in love with his best friend, who happens to be a guy AND a Malfoy. As he enters his 5th year and chaos hits the wizarding world, those are the least of his worries.


**Disclaimer:** While I've made up some of the people/things in this story, Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe are entirely JK Rowling's creations.

**Author's Note:** This fanfiction story is rated T for language, my incredibly crude/immature sense of humor, and minor violence and sexual situtions. There are gay and straight pairings in this story, so if the thought of two boys kissing makes you curl up in the fetal position and cry, don't read this. I am a review whore, and love any and all comments, including constructive criticism. If you flame me I'm just going to LOL and ban you.

Thanks for taking a peek at my story. Let me know in the comments if you want me to return the favor!

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**The Greater Good**

**Chapter One: One Week**

* * *

For one week every summer, Harry James Potter was allowed to step away from the spotlight, abandon his responsibilities as Head of the Auror Department in the Ministry of Magic, and go away on holiday alone with his wife. Normally, he'd be counting down the days with excitement, wishing he had a Time Turner on hand to make the week come faster. This upcoming holiday, however, filled him with fear and dread. He looked down at the suitcase sprawled open in front of him, and hesitantly closed the lid.

"Ginny, I think this is a big mistake."

She had her back turned to him, but Harry could see his wife roll her eyes in the reflection of her vanity mirror. She brushed her hair; even at 40, her hair was long and vibrantly red, and Harry loved running his fingers through it. "For the_ last_ time, we're only going to be gone a week. They're practically adults by now. They can look after themselves."

'_They,'_ of course, were Harry and Ginny's three kids; James, Albus and Lily. For the first time, Harry and Ginny were letting them stay at the house by themselves the entire week – well, Ginny was letting them. Harry would've much rather preferred for them to stay at the Burrow with their grandparents like usual. As always seemed to be the case, Ginny's word was law, and Harry found himself mere minutes away from leaving for his trip. It wasn't his nature to back down without a fight, so he hoped he could use whatever little time he had left to convince Ginny to stay home. He didn't have to be a Seer to already know his efforts were in vain.

Harry sighed. "I know, I know… Al is a good kid, but Lily is only 13, and James – well – I wouldn't trust him to water a plant. I'm still surprised the boy can tie his own shoes." He walked over to Ginny and placed his hands on her hips, drawing her closer to him. "Can't we just stay home? Or – hey – maybe we can take them with us."

Ginny set her brush down, and turned to face Harry, her brown eyes fixing him with an imploring stare. "I've only ever asked for one week from you, Harry. One week where you're away from the Ministry, where you aren't buried in your work; where you're just my husband, not the most famous wizard in the world. One week where I can have you all to myself." She pressed her lips softly against his, sealing their decision with a lingering kiss.

Harry eventually pulled back and couldn't help but smile. "Well, I guess I have missed the beach. The ocean waves, the feeling of sand between my toes…"

Ginny smirked up at him. "Who says we're going to leave the bedroom?"

"Oh… Oh _Merlin."_ The unmistakable voice of James Potter could be heard; Harry and Ginny both turned, only to see the very amusing sight of their eldest son kneeling on the ground by the door, hands clutched to his stomach. Ugly retching sounds gargled in the back of his throat. "That disturbing image will forever be burned in the back of my innocent young mind," James said. "Thanks for that, guys."

Harry and Ginny looked at each other, unable to hide their grins. "Without the service of a bedroom, the world wouldn't be blessed with the existence of James Potter the Great, now would it?" Ginny said.

"It might've actually been the service of a Quidditch locker room," Harry said. "Right after that game where you pummeled the Tutshill Tornadoes, remember?"

Ginny nodded and sighed wistfully. "Oh, yes. How could I forget?"

"OKAY, point very much taken!" James scrambled to his feet, wearing an expression reminiscent of someone who just swallowed a vomit flavored Bertie Bott bean. "It's sickening how much pleasure you two take from mentally torturing me."

"Ah, the joys of parenthood," Harry said.

James snorted and leaned against a wall, arms crossed over his chest. Harry could tell he was doing his best to appear nonchalant, but there was excitement written all over the teenager's face. "So, are you two love birds almost ready to go?" James asked, a hopeful tinge to his question.

Ginny looked up from rummaging through her suitcase. "I think so," she said.

James' overdramatic anecdotes and Ginny's feminine wiles almost distracted Harry from his impending doom. He couldn't shake the queasy feeling plummeting in the bottom of his stomach. Just last week, he walked in on Ginny screaming at Albus and James to stop flying their brooms in the house. What the hell kind of trouble were they going to get into on their own? In truth, Lily was probably more responsible than both the boys put together.

Harry heard the click of Ginny's suitcase shutting; she waved her wand, and their luggage levitated out of the open bedroom door into the entry hall. Ginny walked over to James, and Harry saw that look in her eye; a look unmistakably passed down from Weasley mother to Weasley mother for generations. James immediately recognized the look in her eye, too, because the arms smugly crossed over his chest dropped and he straightened his posture, now rigid as a broom.

"As the oldest, I'm giving you full responsibility over looking after your brother and sister. You can have friends over, but they can't stay the night. No alcohol, no underage magic, and absolutely NO parties. Your uncles and grandparents will be dropping in to check up on you. If we come back and this house is a mess, or if we hear any complaints about your attitude, you'll be locked up in your room so long you'll grow a beard longer and whiter than Merlin's." She turned to Harry. "Anything you'd like to add?"

Harry blinked. "Nope, I think you've covered everything."

Ginny nodded her head toward the door. "Go call your brother and sister." James darted out of their bedroom, voice booming for Albus and Lily. Ginny made her way out after him, but Harry laid a hand on her shoulder, causing her to pause in step.

"You know he's going to throw a party, don't you?" Harry said.

Ginny cast him a sly glance over her shoulder. "Of course I do, and it'll be the best one of the summer. He's half-Weasley, after all." She grabbed his arm, and practically forced him into the entry hall, where their luggage and three children waited. Ginny gave Lily and Albus a similar lecture with less threats, then pulled them into hugs and kissed their cheeks. Harry did the same, minus kisses for the boys; they hadn't let him kiss them since they were eleven. Before he knew it, his suitcase was in his hand, and the rush of Apparating hit him.

As much as Harry wanted to look forward to his holiday, defeating the Dark Lord wasn't nearly half as scary as leaving three teenagers at home and alone to their own devices.

* * *

Albus Potter woke up to the feeling of something cold and wet up his nose. Green eyes blinking open, he blearily realized the ball of custard colored fluff perched on his chest was Tribbles (his sister's puffskein), whose tongue was swirling around Albus' nostrils with a passion that should've been reserved for newly married couples. Even though Tribbles was Lily's pet, it didn't take Albus long to realize she hadn't been the one who brought him into his room. Albus groggily sat up and yanked the purring puffskein off his face.

_"Damnit_ James! How many times do I have to tell you to stay out of my room!?"

James finally revealed himself after hiding in a corner and wandered over to Albus' bed. "Come on, you know you enjoyed it. That's had to be the most action you've gotten in – well – ever." James grinned down at him.

"I think you get enough action for the both of us. I'm surprised you haven't impregnated the entire female populace at Hogwarts by now." Albus was only half-joking, really. His brother was the school broom; everyone got a ride at least once. It wasn't hard to see why; even if James hadn't been Harry Potter's son, he would've been popular based on good looks alone. He was shorter than Albus, but muscular, with elegantly scruffy auburn hair that fell to the nape of his neck, and brown eyes that constantly seemed to glitter with mischief. James was almost painfully handsome, and he knew it too.

"Don't give up on me, Al. I've still got two years left." James clapped his hands expectantly. "Now get your scrawny arse up. We have a party to plan."

Albus glowered at him. "Correction: _you_ have a party to plan. I'm going to Rose's and taking Lily with me, so you and your slags have the house all to yourself."

James rolled his eyes. "Y'know, the only thing separating you and an old woman are saggy tits." James reached forward to pinch Albus' nipples through his shirt, but Albus had lightning-fast reflexes from his practice as a seeker, and pushed James away. The Gryffindor stumbled backward, laughing. "The whole bloody school is coming, not just my slags, although there will be those in abundance. Even all your weird little Slytherin friends will be there." He perched himself on the edge of Albus' bed, and gave the younger boy a pleading look. "Rose is coming too, so unless you want to listen to Uncle Ron and Aunt 'Mione bitching at each other all night, you aren't going to have a good time at their place."

The new information James divulged forced Albus to pause and rethink his decision. He hadn't realized Rose would be attending the party. Rose was more outgoing than Albus, though only slightly. She preferred her small circle of friends to mixing in large groups, especially James' group. If Rose came over, Albus knew he'd have at least one person to stow away with when the party inevitably turned into the James Potter show. Of course, as much as he enjoyed his cousin's company, he knew the night wouldn't be the same without the third act in their trio.

"What about Scorpius?" Albus asked. "Did you invite him?"

James made a face that suggested Albus asked if he invited Lord Voldemort himself. It was common knowledge that James and Scorpius had a rivalry that bled deeper than Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor's. No one knew when their epic feud began exactly, but Rose managed tracing it back to their first train ride to Hogwarts. James made fun of Scorpius' name, and Scorpius told James the sweater he had on looked like something an old woman would wear. It was James' favorite sweater, his grandmother knit it for him, but after that day he buried it deep within his closet, never to see the light of day again.

Since then, Scorpius and James couldn't pass each other in the hallway without war breaking out, and Albus was often the mediator. It was almost funny to Albus how much they hated each other, because while they had their differences (and there were many), they were also strikingly similar. Both of them were charming when they wanted to be, far too good looking for their own good, and immensely popular among the opposite sex. Both of them gave Albus a pain in the arse, yet made him smile like no one else could. And in spite of their many faults, Albus knew the both of them would always be there for him, no matter what happened.

"Why in the name of Merlin's frilly pink knickers would I invite that little prick?" James demanded.

"Oh, I don't know, he only happens to be my best friend."

James sighed heavily. For once, the stubborn streak inherited to him by his mother dissolved. "This is going to be the event of the century – minus Dad taking down Voldemort and all, of course. No brother of mine is going to miss it. If letting that little slimy bastard squirm his way into my home means you're staying, so be it, but if he even_ looks_ at me the wrong way, I'm hexing him into next week."

Albus grinned. "Thanks." Suddenly, he remembered Lily. There was no way in hell he was allowing his sister to be around a bunch of drunken teenage boys. Lily was only 13, but she was already developing into a striking young woman, and Albus doubted he was the only one who noticed. "What are we going to do with Lily? She can't stay here."

"I'm figuring that out as we speak. Don't worry."

Whenever his brother told him not to worry, Albus immediately did, but he tried maintaining a calm composure for now. If worse came to worse, and they couldn't figure out what to do with Lily, he'd just have to be the responsible one and take her to Uncle Ron's house.

James stood up from the bed and began walking toward the door. "I have to meet up with Fred and Roxanne soon. They're scoring some firewhiskey. Write your little boyfriend now and tell him to be here at around 8 tomorrow night." When James shut the door behind him, Albus stared up at his ceiling, enchanted to look like a Quidditch field with players zipping around on broomsticks. James constantly referred to Scorpius as Albus' 'boyfriend' in jest, but no one knew how deeply Albus secretly wished it was true.

After a few minutes of sulking, the 15 year old rolled out of bed, and slid behind his desk drawer with a quill and parchment in tow.

_Scorp,_

_My parents are away on vacation and James is throwing a party tomorrow night at eight. Rose will be there. I need you two to save me from James' arsehole friends. It'll be fun, and watching what people do when they're pissed out of their minds will be good black mail later on. I'll be eternally in your debt if you come._

_Al_

He read the letter over, rolled it up, and gave it to his owl Hecate. She soared out of the open window, happy to stretch her wings. Albus changed out of his pajamas into a set of Quidditch robes, which were dark emerald green and lined with silver to represent Slytherin colors. He picked up his broom – a sleek Stargazer 360 – and made his way into the expansive backyard behind his house. After a relaxing bout of flying that seemed only minutes long, but actually took hours, he returned to his room. He saw Hecate nestled comfortably back in her cage, with an unopened envelope on his desk.

Albus set his broom aside and tore the letter open, a smile immediately touching his face upon reading Scorpius' familiar elegant script.

_Albus,_

_You're the Potter. Shouldn't you be the one doing the saving?_

_I'll be there. I can always use more blackmail and another poor soul eternally in my debt._

_Scorpius_


End file.
